Best Restaurants in Ann Arbor (2025)
Miss Kim
Korean restaurant · Kerrytown
Chef Ji Hye Kim’s Korean cooking channels Michigan seasonality with verve; praised by Eater and Food & Wine and repeatedly recognized by James Beard. Come for tteokbokki, stay for the banchan and makgeolli.
Spencer
Restaurant · Main Street
A tiny dining room with a big point of view: set menus that change monthly and an impeccably curated wine program, cited by Eater and James Beard. It feels like a dinner party with serious technique.
Zingerman's Roadhouse
American restaurant · Ann Arbor
A love letter to American regional cooking—fried chicken, oysters, heritage grits—sourced with care from local farms. A perennial crowd-pleaser frequently highlighted by Eater and local critics.
Zingerman's Delicatessen
Restaurant · Kerrytown
The city’s culinary landmark since 1982; towering sandwiches, artisan groceries, and enduring national acclaim. Featured in The New York Times and a 2025 Best of Detroit winner.
Blue LLama Jazz Club and Restaurant
Jazz club · Main Street
Dinner and a show—literally. A 2024 menu reboot by James Beard Award winner JJ Johnson added Afro‑Caribbean and Southern notes to a stage hosting national jazz acts, applauded by Eater and Detroit Free Press.
Aventura
Restaurant · Main Street
Downtown tapas and paella with bona fides: chef Raúl Cob has competed on the world stage, and the dining room buzzes nightly. Frequently recommended by Eater and Destination Ann Arbor.
Peridot
Vietnamese restaurant · Main Street
Vietnamese‑influenced plates and a cocktail program to match—moody lighting, tropical accents, and shareable dishes. Named Best New Restaurant (Washtenaw) by Metro Times and featured by Eater.
Taste Kitchen
New American restaurant · State Street
A refined, globally minded kitchen with local sourcing at its core. Praised by local critics and voted Best Restaurant (Washtenaw) 2024 by Metro Times readers; reservations recommended.
Tomukun Korean BBQ
Korean barbecue restaurant · State Street
Two sibling spots under one roof: slurpable ramen and pho next door to sizzling tabletop barbecue. A downtown staple and frequent pick on Eater Detroit’s Ann Arbor guides.
Black Pearl
Seafood restaurant · Main Street
Locally owned seafood and cocktail den known for pristine oysters and an iconic fish taco. A Main Street favorite and repeat finalist in regional best‑of lists; noted on Eater’s patio roundups.
Ricewood
Barbecue restaurant · Ann Arbor
Born at York and now a brick‑and‑mortar, Ricewood marries Texas‑style smoke with island‑style rice bowls. Loved by locals and highlighted by Eater for redefining fast‑casual barbecue in Ann Arbor.
